Dawn broke over the academy grounds as officers thundered through the dormitory halls. Metal doors clanged against stone walls.
"Up and at attention! Five minutes to formation!" An officer's voice boomed through the corridors.
Leo slipped from his bunk, already dressed in his training uniform. He'd woken before the bells, preparing himself mentally for what lay ahead. Around him, other first-years scrambled to pull on boots and straighten rumpled clothes.
Across the grounds in the female wing, Elly rushed to tie back her blonde hair as chaos erupted around her. Girls bumped into each other, fighting with stubborn buttons and tangled laces.
"Two minutes!" A sharp voice cut through the mayhem.
The morning air bit cold and crisp as students flooded into the courtyard. Frost coated the grass, crunching under their boots as they formed neat rows. Leo stood straight-backed in the third line, while Elly took her place several ranks away.
"Knights to the east field, mages to the west!" The officer's voice carried across the morning air. "Move it!"
Students broke formation, splitting into two streams. Leo caught a glimpse of Elly's blonde hair as she headed west with the other mages.
"First exercise - ten laps around the field!" The mage instructor planted his feet wide. "No walking!"
A groan rose from the assembled mages. A boy with disheveled brown hair raised his hand.
"Sir, we're mages. Shouldn't we focus on magical training instead of-"
"Instead of what, cadet?" The instructor's boots crunched across the frost-covered grass. He stopped inches from the boy's face. "Instead of learning how to stay alive when your mana runs dry? Tell me, what happens when you're cornered by bandits, out of magic, and can barely lift your legs to run?"
The boy's face paled. "I... uh..."
"You die. That's what happens." The instructor turned to address the group. "Magic is a weapon, but your body is the foundation. When your mana depletes, your physical strength is all you have left."
Leo started his first lap, keeping his breathing steady. Around him, other mages fell into rhythm, their boots drumming against the frozen ground.
Elly pushed herself to keep pace near the middle of the pack. Sweat already beaded on her forehead despite the cold. The instructor's words rang true - she'd seen Leo training his body as much as his magic. Now she understood why.
"Pick up the pace!" The instructor's voice cracked like a whip. "Your enemies won't wait for you to catch your breath!"
Across the field, knights sprinted with weighted vests and ankle straps, their disciplined rows maintaining formation despite the extra burden. Their boots struck the ground in perfect rhythm.
Meanwhile, the mage group disintegrated into a scattered mess. By the third lap, students staggered and stumbled. Some doubled over, hands on knees, gasping for air.
"Pathetic!" The instructor's voice cut through their labored breathing. "My grandmother moves faster than this!"
A red-faced boy collapsed onto the frost-covered grass. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead despite the cold morning air.
"Get up, cadet! Did I say you could rest?"
Two more mages dropped to their knees. Others slowed to a walk, their legs shaking with each step.
Elly's lungs burned as she fought to keep moving. Her legs felt like lead weights. She glanced at the knights, their disciplined formation a stark contrast to the mages' chaos.
"Is this what passes for mages these days?" The instructor paced between the struggling students. "You think enemies will let you catch your breath in battle? That they'll wait while you wheeze and pant?"
A girl with copper hair stumbled and fell face-first into the grass. Tears streaked her dirt-smudged cheeks as she tried to push herself up.
"Look at the knights!" The instructor pointed across the field. "They train with twice your burden and run twice as fast. Yet you lot can barely complete three laps without crying for your mothers."
By the fourth lap, over half the mage group had given up, sprawled across the grass like broken dolls. Those still moving resembled stumbling drunks more than academy cadets.
"This is exactly what I expected." The instructor shook his head. "Years of relying solely on magic has left you weak. Soft. Useless without your precious mana."
Through the scattered chaos of struggling mages, three figures maintained steady paces around the field. Leo's measured strides carried him forward, his breathing controlled and rhythmic. Beside him, a muscular boy with cropped black hair and a tall girl with auburn braids matched his tempo.
"Looks like someone's been doing more than reading spell books." The boy wiped sweat from his brow. "Name's Marco."
"Sarah," the girl added between breaths. "We trained for the knight path before our magic talent manifested."
Leo nodded, conserving his energy. His own knight training, though basic, had prepared him for exactly this kind of physical challenge. The first-level apprentice knight level helped him with that.
"At least three of you understand the importance of physical conditioning!" The instructor's voice carried across the field. He gestured toward Leo, Marco, and Sarah as they passed. "Watch and learn from your classmates who grasp what it means to be a true mage!"
They completed their laps while others still struggled through their first few. The instructor's earlier words about magic and physical foundation rang true - Leo had witnessed firsthand how quickly a mage could fall when their mana depleted.
The instructor approached their small group, leaving the rest of the class to their struggles. "Well done, you three. Perhaps there's hope for this year's mage class after all."
After the grueling laps, the mage instructor divided the exhausted students into groups. Sweat-soaked uniforms clung to their bodies despite the morning chill.
"Strength training stations! Rotate every fifteen minutes!" The instructor pointed to different areas of the field. "Pushups, squats, planks, and core work!"
Leo dropped into his first set of pushups, maintaining proper form while others struggled to complete even five repetitions. Nearby, Marco and Sarah matched his pace.
"This is worse than knight training." Marco's arms trembled. "At least they get to use life energy to enhance their bodies."
Across the field, the knight cadets worked with wooden practice swords. Their movements flowed from stance to stance as instructors called out positions. The rhythmic clack of wood striking wood filled the air.
"Switch stations!" The mage instructor's voice cracked across the field.
Elly's legs shook as she attempted her squats. Her earlier running had drained most of her strength, but she forced herself to continue. Around her, other mages collapsed or gave up entirely.
"Hold that plank position!" The instructor walked between the rows of trembling students.
The morning continued with endless rotations between exercises. While the knights practiced combat forms and sparring drills, the mages endured basic strength training that left them gasping and aching.
"Magic users think they're above physical combat." Sarah wiped sweat from her face during a brief water break. "That's why so many die when their mana runs out."
Leo nodded, watching the knight cadets execute perfect defensive formations with their practice weapons. Their movements showed the results of proper physical conditioning - something most mages neglected in favor of pure magical study.
The sun climbed higher as both groups continued their separate training regimens. Knights focused on weapon forms, footwork, and combat scenarios while the mages struggled through their basic conditioning exercises.